Pele makes loan move to Valladolid

Midfielder aims to kick-start his career in Spain

FC Porto and Valladolid have come to a pre-agreement for the loan of Portuguese international Pele to the Spanish club. The 21-year-old will therefore have another chance to make a fresh start after aborted attempts to re-launch his career at FC Porto, Portsmouth and Genoa.

La Liga side Valladolid confirmed on its official site that the combative midfielder has passed his medical tests, and will sign a loan deal until the end of the season.

A clause has been written into the deal to make it a permanent switch at the end of this period if all parties agree.

Pele first came to prominence playing for Vitoria Guimaraes and Portugal’s U20 team in the World Youth Cup in Canada, with Inter Milan taking a gamble on the player in 2007.

After a highly promising first year at the San Siro under the coaching of Roberto Mancini, Pele’s fortunes changed radically when he returned to Portugal in a deal that took him to FC Porto as part of the deal that saw Ricardo Quaresma move in the opposite direction.

Last season was a forgettable affair for the Portugal U21 international, playing just two games for Porto before being shipped off to Portsmouth on loan, where he did not make a single appearance.

Pele seemed set for a move back to Italy with Genoa earlier this summer but the deal fell through and now the player is to try his luck in Spain.